Things Not To Do
Let them read!
A middler schooler I happen to know was picking out a book from her school library the other day. The staff member frowned at it, announced to the room that it had rather mature themes, and then handed it to her after all.
Just…don’t.
If a book isn’t right for middle schoolers, don’t have it in the library. If a book is in the library and a student chooses it, don’t criticize it and embarrass her in front of all her classmates.
(The book was, by the way, entirely appropriate.)
I hear from educators all the time how important it is for kids to develop a love of reading. And then I hear about things like this.
Here are a few thoughts, from someone who may not be an educator or a librarian or a literacy specialist, but from someone who does care about books and kids.
Don’t tell kids they are reading the wrong books. Don’t criticize their taste, even if their taste runs to series fiction or fantasy or graphic novels or any of the other books we adults like to sneer at. Reading is reading. Reading books that you adore is the absolutely best way (perhaps the only way?) to develop a true love for the printed word.
Don’t shut up the library or severely limit its hours and then complain that kids aren’t reading.
Don’t refuse to allow them any class time to read and then complain that they don’t prioritize reading.
Don’t give them tedious reading logs to fill out, making reading a painful chore.
Don’t act embarrassed or uncomfortable when kids in the throes of adolescence want to read about (gasp!) sexuality.
Don’t tell them when and what and how to read.
Just don’t.
Read MoreAstra International Picture Book Writing Contest
Open to all writers, published or unpublished, for picture book manuscripts of 1000 words or less. Contest deadline April 30, 2021. Find out more here!
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What I’ve Been Reading
This excellent graphic novel is so painful, tender, sweet, funny, bitter, exasperating, and satisfying that it’s tough to describe it in a brief paragraph. Suffice to say, it’s exactly like love and friendship in the most emotionally intense time our our lives–high school.
Required reading for all who’ve survived first love and all who’ve managed to get themselves out of a relationship that was taking them someplace and making them into someone they didn’t want to be.
Read MoreNew Chapter Book
I’ve just finished draft five of a new chapter book that might be ready to send to my agent soon….I hope so, anyway.
This is one of my favorite scenes:
Read More“What did Mr. Cleary say to you in the office after lunch recess?” Emily asked anxiously as they walked down the hallway.
“A lot about rules. Don’t all these rules get in the way of the education?” Rani asked.
Maybe a little bit, Emily thought. But she didn’t think she should say so.
“I could probably manage either the rules or the education,” Rani went on thoughtfully. “But not both.”
To Think That I Saw It In Congress
Despite a 28-year career in children’s publishing, I have NEVER HEARD OF THIS BOOK until this week. Just saying.
All I can say is, a lot of my books are out of print, and nobody has ever complained about it in the halls of Congress.
Okay, that’s not actually all I have to say.
Nobody has cancelled Dr. Seuss. Nobody has censored his books. No arm of government or political party is involved in any way.
The publisher (presumably in concert with his estate) has chosen not to issue new editions of six books. They say it is because the images contain hurtful stereotypes. (This is true. I’ve enjoyed If I Ran the Zoo, but those so-called Africans with their grass skirts and ape-like faces–really, Ted?)
This is normal. It’s business as usual. Publishers put books out of print all the time, because the books failed to connect with an audience, because they’ve become dated and readers don’t get them anymore, because (shh!) they were never that good in the first place. And–here’s the big reason, actually the only reason–because they aren’t selling that well. Because the books aren’t profitable.
Dr. Seuss Enterprises (an arm of Penguin Random House) failed to mention this, but believe me–if those books were selling like hotcakes, they’d still be in print. They’re not. Possibly because people are not lining up to buy books with hurtful stereotypes in them. Possibly because there are better books out there, some of them written by Dr. Seuss himself.
It’s the free market in action, folks. There’s no or little demand. So there’s no new supply.
Look, Ted Geisel was an immensely talented author and illustrator. He wasn’t a saint. He wasn’t perfection incarnate. And he doesn’t have some sort of constitutional right to have his books in print forever. (If so, I wish I could figure out how to get that right for myself. Alas, I don’t think it exists.)
If you are passionately devoted to On Beyond Zebra or McElligot’s Pool, you can still read them. Knock yourself out. Libraries and used bookstores still have copies. They haven’t vanished from the world of literature. It’s simply that there are not going to be new editions rolling off the press.
It’s not shocking. It’s not a problem. It’s a publisher responding to what people in 2021 want to read.
(P.S. Please feel free to also read picture books by Kevin Henkes, Barbara Cooney, Kwame Alexander, Mo Willems, Sophie Blackall and … I don’t know, maybe me? Dr. Seuss is not the only talented and brilliant author out there. There are so very many excellent children’s books being written and illustrated and published. The kids will be fine.)
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How (and Why) Wombats Poop In Cubes
Wombat himself, illustrated by Charles Santoso–just a snippet of the lovely, lovely art for this book
And…now we know. Check out CNN for more. The wombat’s intestine has two stiff sides and two flexible sides, and as muscular contractions force the, er, stuff through, it is shaped into a cube. Like a lot of other animals (anybody who walks a dog knows what I mean), wombats use poop to communicate, and leave little piles of their cube-shaped droppings in common spots to let other wombats know who’s around and what’s up.
No other animals poops in cubes–only wombats. Let’s hear it for the hero of Wombat Underground! There is no poop of any shape in this new picture book, which will be out next year, but (sigh) you just can’t fit everything fascinating and wonderful about wombats into 32 pages. There will be plenty of adventure and action and escaping of raging wildfires.
Read MoreSarah L. Thomson
A children’s book author publishing award-winning nonfiction, poetry, picture books and novels including…
“Thomson focuses on newfound connection, magic, and suspense to conjure a fast-paced, heartwarming mystery. Thomson’s world is populated by resourceful protagonists, fanciful creatures, and quirky supporting characters.”
—Publishers Weekly